INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, August 7 — The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) has reached a tentative contract agreement with the Grand Trunk Western Railroad (GTW). Ballots were mailed on August 6 to active members of the BLET employed by the GTW who are eligible to vote in the ratification of this agreement.

Ballots are due by Wednesday, September 5. The tentative agreement governs rates of pay and health & welfare benefits for approximately 170 BLET members who work in the locomotive engineer craft.

Members who are eligible and have not received a ratification packet by Tuesday, August 21, should call the BLET National Division at (216) 241-2630, ext. 222. When connected with the extension, please leave the following information:

• Your name, address and phone number; • The Division to which you belong;• The date you were promoted to locomotive engineer; • Your date of birth; and • Your Social Security number.

Email requests for ballots will not be accepted because personal information is required to verify eligibility before a ballot can be issued.

BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce urged all eligible members to review the proposed contract and to make their voices heard.

“Voting on your contract is one of the most important parts of belonging to a union,” President Pierce said. “Union membership is not a spectator sport and I urge all of our Grand Trunk Brothers and Sisters to get involved in this most important process of our union democracy.”

A subsidiary of the Canadian National Railway, GTW’s main line between Port Huron, Mich., and Chicago is a key link in CN’s corridor between the U.S. Midwest, Ontario Quebec and the Maritimes.